Parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Leicestershire have described the school transport system as 'broken', citing emotional distress and missed school days after changes to taxi services this term.
Leicestershire County Council provides taxi transport for pupils with SEND, but some families say new contracts have caused disruption. Zoe Green said her eight-year-old son Joshua, who attends a specialist school, had a 'wonderful' driver for two years until the council re-tendered the contract. The new driver refused a 'meet and greet' before term, which Ms Green said was standard for vulnerable children. 'I thought there is absolutely no way that I am putting my child in a taxi with complete strangers,' she said. After reporting the issue without a timely response, Joshua refused to enter the taxi on the first day, forcing Ms Green to drive him to school for three hours daily until his original driver was reinstated.
Sonal Kuchadia reported similar problems for her 19-year-old brother Jay, who has complex needs and becomes distressed easily. After a three-year struggle to secure a college place, transport issues now prevent his attendance. 'We feel let down. We have been treated poorly,' she said. Sandy Scott faced a council delay in assigning a school place for her 11-year-old son Lucas, who has autism. Lucas had been prepared for months for a taxi to his new school, but no transport was allocated by term start, so Ms Scott drives him herself.
Councillor Ozzy O'Shea acknowledged the frustration, noting that the number of SEND children needing school transport has nearly doubled from 1,500 in 2016 to almost 3,000. He cited the council's 'dire financial situation' and recruitment difficulties as challenges, adding that a review of processes is underway to improve the service.
